Blogs

Web Shows

Resources

The battle for eastern Ukraine

Donetsk

A pro-Russian separatist from the Vostok (East) battalion poses for a picture atop a T-64 tank in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, July 16, 2014. Fighting raged in Ukraine's east on Wednesday when separatists tried to break through the lines of government forces near the border with Russia and a tentative step towards agreeing conditions for a ceasefire failed

Credit: Maxim Zmeyev /Reuters

Izum

New volunteers of the Ukrainian police special task force "Kiev-1" listen to instructions as they prepare to move in the direction of Slavyansk, in Izum, July 16, 2014. Fighting raged in Ukraine's east on Wednesday when separatists tried to break through the lines of government forces near the border with Russia and a tentative step towards agreeing conditions for a ceasefire failed.

Credit: Gleb Garanich /Reuters

Snizhne

Igor Chernetsov, whose wife was killed by an airstrike, gestures near the collapsed structure in Snizhne, 100 kilometers east of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, July 15, 2014. At least nine civilians were killed in the attack, rescue workers said.

Credit: Dmitry Lovetsky

Snizhne

A Donetsk People's Republic fighter throw a bottle of water to colleagues as they arrive at gas station to fill their tank with fuel in Snizhne, 100 kilometers east of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine Thursday, July 17, 2014.

Credit: Dmitry Lovetsky/AP

Slavyansk

Ukrainian servicemen sitting atop armored personnel carriers (APC) drive past a statue of Soviet leader Lenin in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, July 8, 2014. Ukraine's defense minister Valeriy Geletey said on July 8 that Kiev would not negotiate with pro-Russian rebels about the terms of a possible ceasefire until they completely disarm.

Credit: Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

Slavyansk

Local residents wait as they charge their electrical devices at the central square in Slavyansk, July 15, 2014. The city, which the government wrested control from pro-Russian separatists suffers from a lack of electricity and water, local media reported.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Donetsk

A Donetsk People's Republic fighter says goodbye to his family who are departing as refugees to Russia in the city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine Wednesday, July 16, 2014. Ten busloads of Internally Displaced People from the towns of Karlovka, Maryinka and Donetsk left Wednesday morning for the Rostov region in Russia to ask for refugee status there.

Credit: Dmitry Lovetsky/AP

Slovyansk

A local woman greets Ukrainian soldiers in central Slavyansk, July 15, 2014. The city, which the government wrested control from pro-Russian separatists suffers from a lack of electricity and water, local media reported. Ukraine has made fresh charges of Russian involvement in its conflict with separatist rebels, suggesting Moscow may have had a role in an air strike on Tuesday that killed 11 people.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Slavyansk

A destroyed military vehicle is seen near a landmine warning sign just outside the eastern Ukrainian town of Slavyansk, July 7, 2014. Pro-Russian rebels erected new barricades on the streets of Donetsk preparing to make a stand in the city of a million people after losing their bastion in the town of Slaviansk in the worst defeat of their three-month uprising.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Slavyansk

Ukrainian government soldiers stand guard near in front of wrecked tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs) left by pro-Russian insurgents on July 7, 2014 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk. Retreating pro-Russian insurgents dug in on July 7 in Ukraine's sprawling industrial hub of Donetsk after government forces scored a string of morale-boosting victories in the bloody battle for the future of the country. The separatists' "tactical retreat" began on July 5 with the fall of their symbolic bastion Slavyansk and continued overnight into July 6 until government forces had reached the very gates of the region's main metropolis.

Credit: Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

Slavyansk

A Ukrainian flag is set on the city hall of Slavyansk, July 7, 2014. Retreating pro-Russian insurgents dug in on Monday in Ukraine's sprawling industrial hub of Donetsk after government forces scored a string of morale-boosting victories in the bloody battle for the future of the country.

Credit: Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

Novobakhmutivka

A man walks under a destroyed railway bridge, damaged during the night of July 6-7, near the village of Novobakhmutivka, 30 km north of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, over the road leading to the city of Slavyansk, July 8, 2014.

Credit: Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images

Donetsk

A picture taken on July 8, 2014 shows the badge of a pro-Russian militant of the Vostok batallion in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

Credit: Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images

Slavyansk

A local resident (R) speaks to Ukrainian servicemen sitting on their tank in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, July 8, 2014.

Credit: Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images

Kiev

A new volunteer of Ukrainian self-defense battalion "Azov" embraces his girlfriend after a ceremony where he took an oath of allegiance to the country, in Kiev, July 16, 2014. The volunteer would shortly head to eastern Ukraine.

Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko /Reuters

Donetsk

The flag of Novorossiya (New Russia) flies at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian fighters from the "Vostok" (East) battalion in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk July 6, 2014. Ukrainian forces routed pro-Russian rebels in a flashpoint area of eastern Ukraine on Saturday and raised the country's blue and yellow flag again over what had for months been the separatist redoubt of Slavyansk.

Credit: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters

Donetsk

Participants sit beneath a statue of Lenin during a protest against Ukrainian military action held in the centre of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, July 6, 2014.

Credit: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters

Donetsk

Pavel Gubarev, one of the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, speaks during a protest against Ukrainian military action held in the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, July 6, 2014.

Credit: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters

Slavyansk

Ammunition and mines lie near a destroyed vehicle just outside the eastern Ukrainian town of Slavyansk, July 7, 2014. Ukraine's richest man pleaded with the government not to bomb Donetsk, a city of a million people where hundreds of heavily armed pro-Russian rebels have vowed to make a stand after losing control of their bastion in the town of Slavyansk.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Donetsk

A pro-Russian fighter mans a checkpoint in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, July 7, 2014. Pro-Russian rebels erected new barricades on the streets of Donetsk preparing to make a stand in the city of a million people after losing their bastion in the town of Slavyansk in the worst defeat of their three month uprising.

Credit: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters

Donetsk

A pro-Russian fighter mans a checkpoint in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, July 7, 2014.

Credit: Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters

Slovyansk

A local woman speaks to a member of the Ukrainian police special task force "Kiev-1" as he patrols in the eastern Ukrainian village of Semenovka, near Slovyansk, July 14, 2014. Ukraine accused Russian army officers of fighting alongside separatists in the east of the country and said Moscow was once more building up its troops on the joint border.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Slavyansk

A Ukrainian soldier stands near a destroyed military vehicle of pro-Russian separatists just outside the eastern Ukrainian town of Slavyansk, July 7, 2014.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Slovyansk

A sapper holds a land mine in the eastern Ukrainian village of Semenovka, near Slovyansk, July 14, 2014.

Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Slovyansk

A woman cries near her house, which was damaged by a recent shelling, in the eastern Ukrainian village of Semenovka, near Slovyansk, July 14, 2014. Ukraine has accused Russian army officers of fighting alongside separatists in the east of the country and said Moscow was once more building up its troops on the joint border.